Malawi to host four nations tourney this month

The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) is set to host a four nations tournament during the FIFA international window week between 18 and 26 March in Lilongwe.

The tournament will involve Malawi, Kenya, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“The first tournament will feature the senior men’s national teams (A-teams) of our four countries. This tournament presents a valuable opportunity for our national teams to face quality opposition in preparation for upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2025 AFCON qualifying campaigns.

“Additionally, a concurrent youth tournament for our U20 national teams will take place during the same period. By bringing together the best young players from across our countries, these U20 tournaments will aid in developing and exposing elite youth talent while preparing teams for upcoming 2024 AFCON Under 20 qualifiers later this year.

“Our four nations are committed to collaborating for the advancement of football development and transformation across the region. We believe hosting these joint tournaments will build camaraderie between our nations, provide high-level competition for our players, and elevate youth football programs across Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe,” reads a joint statement by the associations in part.

In an interview, FAM president Fleetwood Haiya has stressed that the initiative will be continuous.

“We have made it that we need to utilise the FIFA windows by having a competition or games. So, this is the beginning. This is going to give us a test of AFCON and World Cup qualifiers,” Haiya emphasised.